In January, the board controlling Georgia Regents Medical Center will determine when to start the design and construction of its 100-bed Columbia County hospital.

The commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Health signed the final order Monday allowing the university’s medical center to build a hospital near Grovetown, closing the door for appeals from competing hospitals.

County staffers are beginning the process of designing some improvements for Hereford Farm Road.

Columbia County commissioners Tuesday approved spending $536,944.27 for the initial design phase of improvements to the 5.5-mile stretch from Belair Road to Columbia Road.

“That is just the concept for the entire project from Belair Road all the way to Columbia Road,” said Matt Schlachter, county Engineering Services Division director. “This will get our concept going and get an idea of how we want to do this.”

Students from Richmond and Columbia counties didn’t fare well on the Georgia Milestones assessment released last week but school officials say the results will help them focus on what they need to do to get better.

The living room of Darlene Mays’ Martinez apartment had a few stacked boxes and was devoid of a couch Nov. 19.

A friend had picked up her old couch and another was bringing her another one. She giggled as she explained that it gives her plenty of room to stack boxes of hygiene kits, boxed lunches and stuffed Christmas stockings.

A Charleston, S.C., construction company is planning to build a senior living community on Furys Ferry Road.

Bennett Hofford, the owner of Bennett Hofford Construction, is seeking new zoning for 40 acres at 309 Furys Ferry Road for Indigo Hall, for an assisted care facility, independent living cottages and possibly a nursing home.

Hofford told the Columbia County Planning Commission that the development would likely employ more than 100 people.

A Bartram Trail trailhead in Appling now boasts some new biker-friendly amenities.

A grand reopening of the Petersburg Trailhead near Petersburg recreation area on Clarks Hill Lake will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in conjunction with the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association’s CSRA (SORBA-CSRA) Chapter’s annual Bike Fest.

Augusta area podiatrists are collecting shoes to distribute for the homeless; drop off new and used shoes at Augusta podiatrists’ office through Jan. 4; all types of shoes needed, all sizes, preferably good condition; (706) 724-7000